


An Expectation of Something Pleasant

by ohthiscantbegood



Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Ficlet, Gen, M/M, Post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Recovery, mostly inner monologue, pre-Captain America: Civil War trailer, so many feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-27
Updated: 2015-11-27
Packaged: 2018-05-03 15:46:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5297057
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ohthiscantbegood/pseuds/ohthiscantbegood
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bucky, alone with his thoughts, waiting for Steve to come home.</p>
            </blockquote>





	An Expectation of Something Pleasant

**Author's Note:**

> My first post! Just starting to get back into writing and can't stop thinking about these boys.

Bucky leaned forward and stared at his reflection, his eyes intense. Searching. He wasn't quite ready to cut his hair yet, but he could comb it back off his face a bit now without sliding into panic. He recognized himself now, though he still felt ill at ease in his own skin. There was no way around that, he supposed, but it was getting easier. Not easy—he wasn't really sure what that meant anymore—but less...less like the weight of the memories would crush him, or rip him apart from the inside. Less like he'd fall to pieces without Steve there to hold him together.

Steve.

Steve would be happy to see him in something besides sweats and a hoodie. Steve would be happy to see him. And he would be...he would feel...Bucky would feel...

It would be good to know that Steve was happy to see him.

As if on cue, Bucky heard a key slide into the lock on the front door and turn, heard the door pushed open slowly, then shut firmly, not slammed. Steve made his way down the hall toward the bedroom they'd recently started to share. He walked at a relaxed pace, each footfall intentionally loud enough to keep the other man from being startled when he stepped into the doorway.

"Buck?" he called out. "It's me..."

The careful footsteps got closer and Bucky recognized a feeling of...hm. It wasn't fear. That's what he'd grown used to feeling when something hadn't happened yet, but he knew it was coming. This was different, though. It fluttered, not quite in his belly, but he didn't feel sick. His heart beat a bit faster, but he didn't have the urge to run, or to drop into a defensive stance. This was...nice. Vaguely familiar. He kept his eyes on the face in the mirror and continued to breathe out slowly, evenly.

Steve's face came into view and Bucky realized it had been anticipation—a good kind. An expectation of something pleasant. He inhaled and broke eye contact with himself.

"Hey," Steve said, the concern in his voice giving way to something warmer and a little bit surprised as he took in the jeans, the flannel shirt, the relaxed (almost) posture.

"Hey," Bucky said, a little bit surprised himself.

He couldn't quite say that he felt happiness—not yet—but he was pretty sure he felt a little bit of hope, and maybe the beginning of a smile.

**Author's Note:**

> Inspiration: this image, which is not in a mirror. Or a bedroom
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> [SOURCE](http://sebastian-stan.com/imgs/displayimage.php?album=366&pid=13842#top_display_media)


End file.
